Soil Microarthropod Communities at High Elevations: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Reynolds B. 2016. Soil Microarthropod Communities at High Elevations: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
EDUCATION PERMIT: An undergraduate class field trip looked at soil macroinvertebrate communities on Purchase Knob, along a transect through the northern red oak community on the southwestern face of the Knob, established in 2007 and revisited in 2009 and 2011. PI and class compared soil characteristics and microarthropod numbers between the Purchase Knob transect and the nearby wetland with Alarka soil. We found that the Alarka site had a lower soil pH and bulk density and higher percent moisture than Purchase Knob. The average soil temperature was the same. The average number of collembola (springtails) and oribatid mites was greater in the Purchase Knob cores, but standard errors were too high to declare this a significant difference. PI and class also compared soil macroinvertebrates between the top of Purchase Knob and Commissary Ridge in Mt. Mitchell State Park (NC) in 2001 and 2003. Soil moisture was higher in 2003 and collembola were significantly higher. Mt. Mitchell had higher numbers of oribatid mites and collembola in 2003, but lower numbers of collembola in 2001. Collections in 2013 were from near the gate and diversity of springtails and oribatid mites was observed compared to the old growth oak forest on the Knob.
- Type
- Generic Dataset
- Authors
- Reynolds, Barbara
- Date of Issue
- 2016-10-11
- Units
- GRSM
- Keywords
- APHN, Appalachian Highlands Network, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, GRSM, GRSM Permitted Study ID: GRSM-00146, SER, Southeast Region
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Terrestrial Invertebrates